The present invention relates to a device for the remote control of a comfort management system of so-called home automation type, having at least two operating modes, a first automatic operating mode, and a second manual operating mode, comprising a remote control unit consisting of a box comprising at least one remote control transmitter and a control keypad.
The controlled system consists for example, of a means of a heating and air conditioning device, of a device for moving openable panels or dynamic solar protection, or else of lighting. The systems concerned are to be found in the home, offices or commercial buildings.
It relates more particularly to a device for remote control in which at least two modes of operation are envisaged, a so-called manual mode, in which the device essentially obeys the orders given by a means of manual control, for example a remote control box, and a so-called automatic mode, in which the device essentially obeys the orders of a supervisor program.
The definition of the two modes manual and automatic takes account of inevitable overlaps of functions. For example, although one is in manual mode, it is clear that a properly designed home automation device will not obey an order to raise the heating temperature if it notes that a window is still wide open, or at the least it will react to such an order so as to request confirmation. Another example would be that of automatic control of the lighting, for example as a function of exterior brightness. It is entirely understandable that the user wishes to be able to modify locally the situation managed by the automation mechanism, without however leaving the automatic mode.
Such a situation is described in patent EP 0 521 818 from the applicant: in an automatic operating mode, the orders given by the local means of remote control are interpreted as variations of the set-point of the automation mechanism.
It is in all cases useful for the user to be able to clearly choose the mode, or variant of mode, in which he wishes to see the installation operate.